The Loyalist Servant
by Ganondora
Summary: To control the power of the Triforce, to bring his people prosperity, Ganondorf has deceived the King of Hyrule, but Princess Zelda is not fooled. Ganondorf is arrested but he has an unexpected secret weapon with some unexpected emotional dilemmas.
1. Chapter 1

_The vast rolling hills of Hyrule stretched before him from atop the hill separating Gerudo Valley and Hyrule. The journey was long, even for his massive black Gerudo stallion, but it was worth the reward. This last torturous visit would solidify his place with the King of Hyrule. Finally he could end the charade and collect the Triforce. With the castle in sight he traveled on horseback at a steady walking pace, even though his mind was rushing with images of the world as he imagined it. Despite his dark demeanor, the people of the market and village had grown accustomed to his presence and no longer turned their heads when he arrived. That would change all too soon and they would be forced to show him the respect he deserved._

_Why did he do it? Well, power of course. Born as the King of the Gerudo Thieves he was privileged with a lot of luxuries. The desert was not one of them and his people suffered. Hyrule was the perfect kingdom: beautiful and plentiful. There were just a few obstacles to eliminate. Hyrule was home to the legendary Triforce, one of many stories he was told by the witches who raised him. It was more than legend though, and he would take it for himself. With it, Hyrule, and the entire world, would be his. Finally, he and his people could live in the prosperity they deserved._

_The guards granted him access at the front gate and led his horse to the stable. It had taken many visits for the stallion to accept the guards as caretakers and for the guards to learn the right way to handle him. He was surprised none of the guards were killed with the way his horse bucked and kicked the first time they met. The guard opened the castle's front door and he walked inside._

_The main room was as tall as it was long, with a polished and spotless stone floor, which led to a long hallway surrounded by a beautiful garden of flowers and foliage. Windows were placed evenly every few feet to allow the abundant sunshine to light the hallway and the throne room. As always, the king sat regally upon his throne to await his visit. The garden continued around the throne room, but on the right was a window that led to the courtyard, the most elegant area in the entire castle. _

_He followed the red velvet carpet down the hall to the entranceway of the throne room. The moment he stepped one foot inside the doorway, his wrists were bound by iron shackles. He froze. "What is the meaning of this?" He asked stiffly, disguising his anger with curiosity. _

"_Ganondorf Dragmire, King of the Gerudo Thieves," the King of Hyrule announced, "you are hereby under arrest."_

"_And what are the accusations?" He questioned._

"_You are charged with treason and intent to murder the royal family," He replied sternly._

_Ganondorf jiggled the shackles that were attached to his wrists. The guards holding the other end were almost as built as he was. The King of Hyrule had enough sense to know that if he would struggle only the strongest men could hold him. He could have easily broken free from his bonds until a strong pain ached at his mind and body. The source came from a young girl, around ten years of age, standing by the door to the courtyard._

"_See Father, I told you he was an evil man," The Princess said in her tiny voice. _

_Ganondorf glared at her with a look so evil, she shivered. "I see. You believe the imagination of a child over the word of a man?"_

"_I believe the intuition of my daughter over a stranger that came to my kingdom and made false promises of an alliance." The King waved his arm from left to right and the guards pulled Ganondorf down the hall and toward the dungeon. He struggled, but the sorcery the Princess used kept most of his dark powers at bay. That would not discourage him._

_He laughed mockingly. "You disappoint me, Daphnes." Where the King thought he won, Ganondorf saw only opportunity. To win and be truly powerful he still required the Triforce, but perhaps this situation would lead him right to it. As always, he was confident, and would allow events to unfold._


	2. Chapter 2

_The King had filled them with great hope before his departure to Hyrule again. His speech was uplifting and full of promise._

"_Do you feel the winds of change?" He had said, pride and confidence in his voice. "No longer will we suffer and die by the cruel hands of the desert. After today we will prosper."_

_And then he majestically rode down the desert path. Was she crazy, or had he made eye contact with her directly more than anyone else? Did she imagine the desire that he gazed at her with? Or was it the same way he looked at all of the Gerudo?_

_She had pushed her way to the front of the group to see him off. Every fiber in her being screamed to stop him and begged him to stay. Not out of wanting, but fear. As the hours passed by, that fear ate at her until she was wrought with worry. _

"_He should have returned by now," She said, imploring her comrades. They stood around the fire, their source of heat, in the common area of their stone fortress. Some pulled up chairs, others sat on the floor, where she preferred to stand._

_"Do you lack confidence in our King?" She was questioned cruelly._

_It was difficult to hold her tongue from the nasty words she wanted to retaliate with, but instead simply said, "I do not lack any confidence or loyalty. I am pointing out that this is the longest he has ever taken to return."_

_"Do you think he abandoned us?" A woman asked._

_"You should be executed for that statement!" Another said. _

_"What are you suggesting, Ganondora?"_

_She swallowed. In one way, she despised her name, but she never had the chance to ask her mother why it was chosen for her. Some of her comrades resented her for it. On the other hand, it filled her with pride to have a name so similar to his. "We should go after him."_

_"He would kill us," Said the majority of the women with her._

_"Or he could reward us." Dora replied. "Did he tell us we had to stay here until he came back?"_

_A woman, slightly taller than Dora, stood from her seat and approached her swiftly. Once their faces were so close they could feel each other's breath, she jabber her finger in Dora's chest and warned, "If you interrupt his dealings with the King of Hyrule the entire plan could be undone. As your commander, I order you to stay here, or I will execute you as a traitor myself."_

_Dora stared into her deep forest green eyes for several seconds while her mind raced. She needed to listen to her instinct and was certain Ganondorf should have returned already, but she was not sure if he was in danger. However, Dora always seemed compelled to disobey, and she never backed down from a challenge. Running would only make them give chase and could cause more harm than good. "Fine. You will see that I am right, and regret not taking any action." She turned her back to her superior and stormed off to her room like a child._

_With a great and heavy sigh, she threw herself on her cot bed and pulled the pillow over her face. Why did she have to be surrounded by morons? She rolled over onto her side to try to get some sleep before sneaking out._

_Sleep did not come easily. Her mind was plagued with thoughts of them, of the past. Ever since she was a little girl she admired him for his power and ruthlessness. The women had raised her, but no one taught her more lessons than Ganondorf: Discipline, honor, loyalty, and respect for those that deserved it. To her, he was the only one that did. What about the time she snuck out all on her own to bring food back for the starving children? Her commander, disgusted, had immediately sent her straight to him for punishment. To her surprise, Dora was praised. Not only did she bring back food when it was needed, but she was skillful enough to do it on her own. She recalled his words exactly: "The Gerudo should be looking to you as a leader and you should be proud."_

_A content smile spread across her face at the memory._

_What about all the times after that when he chose her specifically to spar? In the beginning, the result was her laid up in the infirmary for days. As she progressed, and her trips to the infirmary decreased, she began to see respect in Ganondorf's eyes when he dueled with her. Her childish admiration slowly became something much more forbidden. There were nights, sometimes sleepless, that she would lie and wish he was there with her, longing for more of the closeness that occurred briefly during their battles._

_She could feel the changes in him also. Their matches began when she was only thirteen, and he treated her just like the child she was. He was arrogant, cold, condescending, and uncaring in battle. At times, she deserved it for the stupid mistakes she made. As she aged, filled out her form, and those mistakes decreased, she sensed a change in the way he sparred with her. Gradually, he fought her as an equal, not a pupil. If she closed her eyes, she could imagine they were locked in a beautiful sword dance. It made her wonder if he still called on her to practice to increase her skill, or just so they could spend intimate time together._

_The favoritism she was shown was not unnoticed. Her peers treated her with a cold shoulder and often excluded her from events. Dora was the kind of person to take this as a challenge though and refused to fail. Instead of being jealous, she realized they were jealous of her, and maintained focus on being better than them._

_What if this was a challenge too? What if he was waiting for her? Sleep did not come, but the sun set a couple hours ago. It was time to act. Dora knew where she belonged and she hoped it was not too late to take that chance. Swiftly, she rolled from her cot and onto her feet. She donned her bracers, her leather boots in exchange for her padded shoes, her bow, and lastly her sword. In the moment she stared at it, she recalled the overwhelming emotions, pride greatest among them, that brought her near tears when Ganondorf presented it to her. She glared. To think that the rest of these women would just sit and wait was a disgrace._

_Dora snuck out of her room and easily avoided the guards since she had their schedules and habits memorized. Expertly trained, she kept her breathing calm and controlled as she moved through the maze that was the Gerudo Fortress to reach the stables. The guard there was walking away to relieve herself, on schedule, and Dora took the opportunity to take her horse from the stable and walk out the exit with him. Only once they were a mile down the path did she mount her horse and gallop toward Hyrule._

_Infiltrating the castle was going to be complicated. Dora's skills were unsurpassed, but normally she would have a layout from a scout that she could use as a guide. Going in blind was reckless, but exactly what she was ready to do. Her first stop would be the dungeons: If the King of Hyrule had discovered Ganondorf's true intentions they would have arrested him. During the thirty-minute travel to Hyrule, she tried to imagine Ganondorf as victorious, rather than his head impaled on a spike as a trophy._

_Dora left her horse a half mile away by a large tree and some lush grass to keep him occupied. She entered through the western gate, most commonly known by the Gerudo for its lack of patrol. Immediately though, she climbed the building on her right, frequently used by her comrades, and traveled to the castle silently by roof tops. She would take time in between to rest and make sure there were no signs of being seen before continuing on to the next. The thrill of the hunt was what kept her coming back, but this was even more exciting, and she struggled to maintain a calm heart rate._

_Finally, she reached the last house before the wall that separated the castle from the rest of the village. As expected, the gate was closed, so she would need to be creative to gain entry. She spanned the entire castle with her eyes and searched for a way in. To her right was a tall tree that almost reached the top of the wall. It would be difficult, but she was confident._

_From the rooftop nearest the tree she stretched her arm out as far as she could and was barely able to reach the leaves. She was going to have to jump. Dora took a few steps back, rushed forward, and leapt into the air. In mid-flight, she felt weightless, probably the most terrifying sensation she ever felt. She reached out and gripped the first limb she made contact with. A film of sweat suddenly covered her skin and the night air chilled her immediately. She held on for dear life for a few moments before she opened her eyes. The ground was a dizzying distance away. She pulled her body upward and found stable footing to climb to the highest limb she could reach that would hold her weight._

_There was one more jump and it would prove the most difficult. Not that it was farther but the landing would be worse. In front of her was the corner of the wall attached to a turret with a window. The guard just started his scheduled patrol to the next corner so a new guard would be arriving at her corner. That left her with a very narrow window. When the guards shift was about halfway, she lunged forward and gripped the windowsill with all the strength in her slender fingers. Her body came into the wall hard and she did her best to hold in a groan of pain. The side of her face hit the stone wall. Fortunately, she suffered only a few scratches._

_Using the strength in her arms and legs she yanked herself through the window and immediately into the dark shadows behind a crate until the guard passed. He stood there, an arm length away from her, for around five long minutes while she breathed as little as possible. She imagined herself as one with the darkness and was rewarded when the guard walked away none the wiser to their intruder._

_The moment the guard was half way to his next post she leapt over the other side of the wall and into the castle's garden. A bush cushioned her fall but also made more noise than she needed. She waited silently for guards to come and thankfully, none did. With the moon light shining like a lantern the rest of the infiltration was done by clinging to the shadows made by the variety of plants and trees in the garden, until she reached the dungeons. A flickering glow from within illuminated a metal grate door at the bottom of a gentle slope. There were five guards, so force was going to be necessary._

_To dispatch the first guard she stood behind a tree and pulled him behind it as he passed. She twisted his head so his neck snapped and he crumbled to the ground. She dove to the ground and crawled behind a bush, snagging the next victim to snap his neck also. The next three stood immediately at the door and so she used her bow. From the cover of the bush she aimed her arrows individually and fired rapidly. Each target made its mark in the throat of her victims. Barely a groan was uttered before they died. Hastily, for fear someone was alerted to her presence anyway, she grabbed the keys from the guard closest to the door and unlocked it. She entered the dungeon and was unsurprised to see Ganondorf the only prisoner residing there, but shocked at his weakened appearance._


	3. Chapter 3

_Ganondorf was left alone in the dungeon as the King of Hyrule felt safe that his daughter's seal of light would keep him weak enough to prevent him from breaking out. Little did they know, he would not be breaking out, but he would be freed._

_From the time she successfully infiltrated Hyrule alone to bring home a wagon full of food for the children, against her commander's orders, he knew she was a leader. From the first moment he sparred with her, he knew she would play a significant role in his journey to ultimate power. In that moment that she looked at him as more than her king, he knew he was the only one that could control her. She would come for him as if he beckoned her, even if his orders were to stay at the fortress. Only a fool did not prepare a contingency plan, or two, even when he was so confident to believe he would not need one._

_He kept his eyes closed, listening to the idle chatter of the dimwitted guards that stood outside the dungeon door. His mind wandered from the awareness of his surroundings as he attempted to dull the aching pain. What was taking her so long? Or was she waiting for the perfect opportunity to sneak away? There was no doubt her direct commander, Tatiana, would disagree with Dora's suggestion to go to the castle. What he knew though, that her commander never seemed to learn, was that Dora would do what she wanted and a when she wanted. It was that tenacity that originally intrigued him._

_He smirked as he recalled how desperately she pushed her way to the front right before he delivered his short but powerful speech to his people. It was curious how devoted she was to him. Was it out of loyalty, or was there something else in her stare? What unsettled him most was the concern in her expression when he turned to leave, as if she knew all would not go as planned. It was so haunting, he had reconsidered his decision to leave her behind, but knew it was best. There was no doubt in his mind he wanted her at his side as his loyal servant but she would have been no use to him if she was also arrested._

_Suddenly, the guard's chatter went silent. Metal jingled, the door clattered, and Ganondora stepped around the corner. Any time he saw her he felt a flutter of something he could not explain. Until he could understand it, he would hide it. "I did not expect you to come alone," He remarked._

_Dora was relieved to see him safe. She quickly approached the cell that held him but hesitated before touching the bars. "I knew regular bars could never restrain you. Is this Zelda's magic?"_

_He smirked. It always amazed him how intelligent she was. "None other. It is only strong enough to prevent me from breaking free, so you will release me."_

_Before he grew impatient, she held her breath and shoved the key into the door of the cell. There was a soft sting at first, but as she turned the key the pain and pressure crept up her arm to her shoulder, almost petrifying her muscles. She used that arm to pull the door open and took the keys in her other hand to unlock the shackles that bound her king. By the time both were undone her other arm was frozen too. They quickly left the cell together to recover from the power of light attacking them._

_Ganondorf was surprised to see Dora struggling with the locks. Was the light energy affecting her just as much as it did him? In spite of her suffering, she did her duty to free him from the cell. Once out, he stretched his muscles and purged his body of the light energy, replacing it with dark energy again. "You have done well. Now, I must go to the Temple of Time," He said and moved toward the exit._

_Dora was just regaining use of her legs as he walked away. She followed him closely. "What will we find there?"_

_"We will lead the King of Hyrule there and he will open the Door of Time for me," He explained._

_She was not certain how he planned to accomplish that, but she was more than willing to play along. It was clear that he had no intention of sneaking out the way she came in because he walked straight down the path through the courtyard and the garden. Guards approached, signaling other guards of Ganondorf's escape, and others coming to stop them. Dora immediately readied her bow and steadily they fell one-by-one, until they were too close. She unsheathed her sword and spilled their blood. "I hope these are not Hyrule's finest."_

_Ganondorf followed, almost proudly, the sparkled path of moonlit blood that she laid before him like a royal carpet. Once they were outside the inner wall surrounding the castle, they were free of guards, and quickly made for the Temple of Time. The heavy wooden doors creaked open and echoed inside the vast empty room when they closed. With a slower pace they approached the Door of Time. Dora was humbled to be in such a sacred place of the Goddesses and for a moment she stood to reflect on it. _

_Ganondorf inspected the altar while she admired the temple. There was a lot he gambled on for this opportunity to run smoothly, but she was one part that he could count on. Daphnes and Zelda would arrive with the three Spiritual Stones, open the door to call on the sages to banish him to the Sacred Realm, but he would have the Triforce first and destroy them all. The plan played perfectly in his head repeatedly until the king finally arrived, along with a group of twenty knights. Ganondorf stood with his back to the altar, Dora with her back to the Door of Time, and he said, "It is not polite to keep a guest waiting."_

_Almost ignoring him, the King of Hyrule immediately began to play on the Ocarina of Time. Dora's stomach tightened into a knot as she reminded herself to allow the events to play out. She was still more comfortable with her bow in hand and chose to keep it out and ready. Ganondorf had a plan and she needed to trust that plan._

_The three spiritual stones appeared, hovering above Zelda at first and then slowly approaching the altar. Ganondorf stepped out of the way and walked behind it to the massive stone doors that would open in mere moments. Once he came to stand beside Dora he ordered, "You will pull the Master Sword from the pedestal the moment you can enter the next room."_


	4. Chapter 4

_Dora did not question his order, but prepared for pain, a lot of pain. "Yes, my lord."_

_Her sacrifice did not go unnoticed by him. While being arrested changed his plans slightly, the part where she pulled the Master Sword to unlock the Sacred Realm did not. No one would suspect that she would be capable, but he knew that she could. What he did not know before that day was that she was sensitive to the light, indicating there was darkness in her heart. Pulling the blade of evil's bane from its pedestal would cause her great harm, possibly fatal, and he recognized that. She did not question him, nor defy him, and so she was to be praised for her obedience._

_The great mass of the Door of Time shook the entire temple as it slid slowly open. The moment there was enough room to squeeze her body through she was inside the next room. Before she could even lay her hands on the hilt of the sword she was thrown to the side with such force she hit the wall and collapsed to the floor. She stood as quickly as she dared and after the world spun for a second she turned to complete her mission. She wrapped her hands around the hilt of the Master Sword and through excruciating pain yanked with all her might to pull the blade from the pedestal. She screamed in agony and was blinded by pain. There was no giving up or quitting. This needed to be done._

_At first the sword did not budge and her task seemed impossible to complete, until she felt a great shift and it began to emerge inch-by-inch. The seal was broken. Three blurs of golden light flew by and startled her. She dropped the sword beside the pedestal with a terrible clang and leaned forward on her knees. Sweat dripped from her face and she breathed so heavily her chest heaved greatly. There was no time to waste though. She turned her head and watched as Ganondorf dropped to his knees suddenly. He needed her, whether he knew it or not, so she struggled to her feet and stumbled through the door way with her entire body protesting her efforts. _

_Ganondorf lost all breath when what felt like a boulder hit his back side. Before he could react, shackles of light bound his arms and a chain wrapped from one wrist, tightly twisted around his torso, and attached to the other wrist. He looked up to see that his new bindings were put there by the sages. There were six of them, their forms a white silhouette with almost no features. These bindings were stronger, which made it impossible for Ganondorf to move. He was a grand sorcerer but only the Triforce of Power could give him the strength to compete with a sage. The sages forced him to his knees. He burned with rage to wipe the smug smirk from the King of Hyrule's face. Suddenly, Dora was screaming in agony. A strange sensation overcame him and he was curious, until a little golden triangle flung itself straight into Zelda's chest. The mark of the Triforce showed brightly on the back of her hand. That was when he knew that, although he did not have the full Triforce, he had the mark of power, and she the mark of wisdom. Until he could grasp its full power, he was still in a bind._

_Dora realized that everyone was in a state of shock at the Triforce's escape from the Sacred Realm, so she took advantage of it. What she did not know was that everyone watched her. She hastened to Ganondorf's side, and grabbed the chain to try and free him. The pain emerged again, as if fire burned her through her fingers, up her arms, and into her shoulders. She was determined to free him and so she continued to suffer._

"_Release the chain, Dora," He ordered through gritted teeth. It was fortunate that she was alive, or that she had completed the task given to her at all. There was no need for her to cause further harm to herself or die unnecessarily when he still needed her._

_She looked up to see his contorted face, and let go immediately. Why would he give her that order? She could have saved him, and if not, died honorably trying. Though she panted heavily, she glared at the King, the Princess, the knights, and the sages with pure hatred. Oddly enough, they were all staring at her with bewilderment. She wiggled her fingers until the pain passed and feeling returned. She said, "What do you plan to do with my King?"_

_One of the sages responded, "He will be executed. He has dark powers and dark intents."_

"_I won't let you do that!" Dora shouted. "Take me instead."_

_Daphnes was stunned. "What?"_

"_Take me in place of him," She said again, almost begging._

"_Do you believe that your sacrifice would stop the King of Thieves from fulfilling his evil plan?" Said a different sage._

_Dora looked over at him. She could hear his labored breathing to try to bear the pain. Her chest ached with him. "I do not, and I would not ask him to."_

_"How did you pull the Master Sword from its pedestal?" The King of Hyrule questioned._

_A sage responded, "Only a descendant of the hero can pull the sword. By some divine prank the essence of the hero must have passed into her, though she has failed to meet the expectations of the goddesses."_

_Dora looked at the back of her hand and understood what he referred to. Ganondorf and Zelda both now housed a piece of the Triforce. Where had the third one gone? She would not show her uncertainty. "How would you know the will of the goddesses?" Dora snarled. _

"_You are no less evil than he is," The Princess exclaimed._

_Agreeing with his daughter, Daphnes ordered, "Arrest this thief."_

_The knights immediately jumped into action, their swords out, and were unexpectedly met with force. Dora combatted them with an animalistic ferocity. Her sword swings were deadly accurate and before they could subdue her she killed three of the twenty knights. It was only when all of them attacked her at once that she was overwhelmed enough to be subdued. It was not for lack of skill that she lost._

_Ganondorf watched her fight valiantly. At first, only two knights approached her and within a minute one was dead. Three more joined the fray and one more was killed. The remaining fifteen rushed forward but she was able to kill one more before they forced her roughly to the ground and shackled her. By comparison, she was the most faithful Gerudo in his legion. Could he really continue to fool himself and believe that she fought for him out of duty, honor, and respect? There was something else fueling the fiery spirit inside her, but he dared not imagine it. Her eyes found his gaze as a knight pressed her face roughly to the cold stone floor. He looked away, uncertain, and unable to watch the pain on her face._

_Dora was ashamed of herself. As a thief it was a disgrace to be caught, and worse to be captured, but to lose a battle in front of the man she admired most was embarrassing and shameful. It was no wonder why he looked away. He was probably disappointed. They took hold of her by her arms and pulled her away. Still she fought valiantly, kicking her feet and struggling to break her arms free, even if it meant dislocating her joints. Even when her muscles burned too much to move she continued to fight. Before they dragged her out the door she yelled, "I will protect our people and we will avenge you!" An urge burned at the edge of her mind that for once, finally, she did not resist. "I love you!" If it was the last time she saw him, she needed him to know it._

_Ganondorf returned his gaze as they dragged Dora through the temple, kicking and screaming the whole way like a beast. He knew that animal was only tame with him, in his protection, and wondered how it would be without him. That fiery side in battle always kept him wanting more. It turned into an addiction. That flutter in his stomach turned into a pit at realizing he would never see that fire in her eyes again. He would regret all those nights he forbid himself to call on her, and instead lie awake dwelling on the unknown emotions. His world had always been about him, his kingship and his desire for power, so the way he obsessed over Dora was alien to him. When she shouted those final words for all to hear that was when he recognized what the emotions were that he felt. Love may not have been a term he would consider, but since she came into his life he could not imagine his world without her. He said nothing, but stared after her with determination._


	5. Chapter 5

_"Take him to Arbiter's Grounds," The King of Hyrule ordered. "I will not make another mistake by keeping you near my family, or the Triforce."_

_Ganondorf was too preoccupied ignoring the pain to recognize how defeated he was. Still, he looked to the future, for the next opportunity. What about Dora? Her duty bound her to him. Could she escape in time? He had no doubts, but what could she do? It was clear that the King of Hyrule did not want to take any more risks. Arbiter's Grounds was home to convicts and the staff that maintained the prison. Some villains had lived out there lives there, he was going to meet the end of his. Atop the tower was the gathering place of the sages, where they dealt justice and their power the strongest._

_Dora's fight with the knights left her weary so she rested after her wrists were strapped to the chains on the wall. Escaping from her prison was the least difficult task that she faced. Rescuing Ganondorf was the true obstacle. There was no doubt that the Gerudo would find her missing, send a scout to investigate the situation, and then mount a full attack. There was no time to wait for them. It would be midday before the Gerudo arrived. The guards whispered that Ganondorf's death sentence would be carried out immediately upon reaching Arbiter's Grounds deep within the desert._

_She would have to do it herself, and that was just fine with her._

_The guard switch happened almost flawlessly, but in the moment that there were no eyes on her, she used the only pin in her hair to expertly unlock the chains that bound her. The lock on the door was more complicated, required more concentration, thus taking much more time to pick. There was one guard specifically placed on the outside of her cell to watch her. What a mistake, she chuckled on the inside. She silently reached through the crisscrossed bars, put a hand over his mouth, and yanked his head back and to the left with such force and swiftness his neck snapped. Quickly, she went to work on the door. It clicked and she swung it open. She grabbed her weapons and was gone before anyone else came. It would not be long before they discovered her missing._

_Morning quickly approached. The shadows cast by the moon were giving way to the light of the sun. Dora rushed to leave the castle's grounds, using the freshly cleaned path and sneaking out through the front gate just freshly opened and unguarded before the morning deliveries of food and other supplies. She climbed the nearest building to the rooftop and hastily moved from roof to roof until she exited through the west gate to claim her horse. Her heart raced, not from exhaustion, but fear and panic. She needed to move fast, but she was not moving fast enough. She could not push her horse, or risk not making it at all, and so kept at a steady gallop, until in the distance she could see a transport wagon, and slowed to stay out of sight. _

_The wagon followed the main path which diverted any travelers from the fortress of the Gerudo thieves. It was an hour long journey and if she were anyone else the desert heat and blistering sand would have turned her away because of dehydration. Dora was practically immune to these weaknesses and greeted the desert as her home. The building that she followed the wagon to was unfamiliar to her but not unknown. It was the prison that she heard many tales about from the Gerudo, escaped convicts and rapists, but never saw it for herself. Yet, there she was, about to break in._

_The trip to Arbiter's Grounds allowed Ganondorf much time to reflect, once he was able to push the constant aching pain out of his mind. The only thought running through his head were the events from less than an hour ago. A loyal servant was expected to, of course, die for their King, but take his place? For what little good it did, it was an unexpected gesture. What about Dora's admittance of love? In front of all those people? Was it all just some desperate plea to make them show mercy? How could anyone execute the man that a woman loved? When you were Ganondorf, the King of Thieves, the most ruthless man in all of Hyrule, no one would bat an eye. He smirked at that accomplishment. Despite having all of those people hate you, was it possible to have one that loved you?_

_It was a strange concept. Had it developed because Dora lacked any parent? Because she was rejected by all others? Was it not because of his favoritism that the Gerudo continued to alienate her? He gave Dora her place amongst the Gerudo, but she had also more than earned it. He realized that his act of choosing her to train to be his second in command also gave her life meaning and purpose. He had no doubt been cruel to her in the beginning, relentlessly toning her body as she grew and painfully honing her skills to perfection._

_Discipline was necessary, especially with the wild spirit contained within her. That was her true challenge. She feared him though, and grew to respect that fear, thus learning to tame and control it. One day, during their ritual spar, through understanding her fiery spirit, she was able to finally hit him. That day she shed the scared little girl and embraced a strong, confident woman, capable of any task placed before her. That was when he gifted the sword to her that she used to that day. _

_It was also the day his intent began to change. Regular practice was important or else one may lose what skills they mastered, but it was not about that anymore. He began to lust for her, but to have her completely meant to lose her as a capable future lieutenant. So, he settled for others. The longer he avoided it, the more he needed her, and eventually that fire inside Dora became an obsession almost as powerful as the Triforce itself. He was too blind to see that she suffered as well. Could what she felt be the same as the longing that burned within? Weakness, he mocked himself. Or could the embers of their relationship be the beginning of a powerful partnership? By nature, he was an opportunist, so he would leave that door open if he needed it to serve his purpose._

_The spiritual bindings of light kept Ganondorf at bay enough that the guards could guide him to the top of the tower without worry. They took extra precautions anyway. In front and behind him were two guards with swords constantly pointed at him. To run was not in his nature, only destruction, and the anger at being in such a pitiful situation was giving him the strength he needed to obliterate the sages. He just needed the opportunity to do so._

_Dora dismounted her horse and sent him home. It was cruel to ask him to stay in the desert without water. He could serve as a message to the Gerudo to come for her, because she would need the rescue if she failed. Looking at the massive dungeon she knew infiltration would be impossible so she would need a disguise. To her advantage, the sand in the whirlwinds made visibility poor, but she was accustomed to that. Around the building were several layers of guards, all marching clockwise in a staggered pattern. With patience, and good time, she could shoot the one on the outmost layer with an arrow without being caught. The armor would be a baggy fit, but it was only temporary. Dora settled herself behind a rock where she was protected from the wind and sand. She set with her bow and arrow ready, constantly scanning the other guards. When her target was finally near her, the wind calmed just enough to aim, and so she fired. Whether or not she made her mark against the newly building wind, she rushed forward. Under the cover of the sand she found him, only severely wounded since the arrow grazed his neck. She turned him over, wrapped her hands around his throat, and squeezed as she dragged him away. He fought to free himself from her grasp, but as she hid behind the rock, his body went limp. Quickly, she threw his armor on over hers, including the face mask to protect against the sand, and made it back in line so the other guards were unaware of the switch._

_Following their pattern led her toward the door more slowly than she would have liked. When she was close enough she leapt inside. The stairs spiraled dizzyingly upward, and she climbed with as little haste as she could manage. Panic gripped her and her pace quickened with her heartbeat. She feared she would be too late. As she reached the top, the guards and staff became less and less so she began to tear off the armor. First the helmet, the shoulders, the heavy tunic, the metal legs, and finally the boots, all of it clanging as she discarded it up the steps and on the floor just before the door to the roof. Dora barged through it._


	6. Chapter 6

_Ganondorf was bound by the chains of light to a slab of rock covered with dark, dry blood. When they were removed from his torso he found relief, but he was still incapable of movement. The sages surrounded him and spoke about him amongst themselves while Ganondorf enjoyed the view of the Spirit Temple in the distance. The temple was built behind the face of the statue of the Goddess of the Sand, and through the great distance he was level with her face. She was a beautiful distraction from his current situation._

"_There is darkness in him that we have not seen in eons, since before Hyrule was even born," The one said. _

_Ganondorf could not stop from smirking, but it certainly did not help his case._

_Another sage spoke up. "We know he has killed the innocent and plotted against the royal family. We must bring justice now."_

_The third sage who spoke directed his question toward Ganondorf. "You are charged with intent to murder the royal family. Why?"_

_He laughed. "You have barely scraped the surface of my intentions," He said sinisterly._

"_Before we pass judgment we are required to hear the side of the defendant. Will you take this opportunity to plead your case?"_

_Ganondorf debated making a statement on his behalf. He was silent for a few minutes, mostly to bide his time for Dora to arrive. He began to doubt her success, but would believe in her as she did him. He looked at all the sages individually with loathing in his eyes and said, "I am guilty of what I am accused and so much more. Whether you kill me here and now, or in a thousand years, you will not stop me."_

_The sages reacted with shock, but once they regained their composure nodded to each other. "Then it is settled, your punishment will be death." A white sword of pure magic appeared and hovered in front of Ganondorf. He did not turn away, but glared at the sage controlling it until he heard a loud clang from the right. He turned his head. Though he knew Dora could not save him, he was relieved to see her._

"_No!" She shouted, and ran toward the circle of the sages at full speed. Judging by the sword pointed directly at Ganondorf's chest she knew she arrived just in time. She slid to a stop in between him and the sword and looked around at the sages. "You will release him."_

"_You are not a prisoner. You must not interfere," A sage said. _

"_I __**love**__ him," Dora insisted. Silence followed for a minute._

"_This man is evil and must not be allowed to survive."_

"_Then you will have to kill me too," She said, standing straight and fearless._

"_Dora," Ganondorf called in a hushed voice. She turned to the side to face him but did not turn her back on the enemy. "You will stay and lead the Gerudo in my stead." _

"_You would allow them to kill you? We can stop them, together," She pleaded._

_He shook his head. "You are wiser than that and know that now is not the time to strike."_

_The fleeting look of honesty in his eye made her shiver. It truly was farewell. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and finally felt his body in a way she only dreamed._

_Ganondorf closed his eyes and breathed in her scent. Such an odd feeling was the warmth that her embrace generated in him. At the same time, there was an ache in his core to hold her slender form in his arms and take her for his own. Why was he plagued by these feelings? All he was supposed to care about was power. He despised that she could make him feel such weakness but was too intrigued to stop it._

_He was startled when suddenly she was ripped away from him by an invisible force. Dora screamed as her body flew across the roof and slammed on the floor with a thud. Her body lay still and Ganondorf roared with rage. The sword of light thrust forward and impaled his chest, knocking him back against the rock and unconscious for a minute._

_The pain was incredible. It surged through his veins and pulsed violently in his head. He tried to reject the light that infected him but it was powerful. The anger that boiled inside fueled his strength. He squeezed his hands into tight fists and pulled against his chains. His muscles strained and he grimaced as the chain cut deeper into his wrists, but he was rewarded by the creaking and snapping of metal. The sages gasped. The power of the Triforce granted him strength to survive and fight back._

_Dora blinked her eyes rapidly when she returned to consciousness. The world spun, but she could make out the image of Ganondorf as he tore himself from his chains. She sat up right as quickly as she dared. Seeing him still resisting filled her with pride._

_Ganondorf tore the sword of light from his very chest and pushed away the blinding pain. The sword left behind a wound, a white mark of purity in his dark form. With narrowed and determined eyes he rushed forward with the sword pointed at the sage who had stabbed him. Before they could react the sage was obliterated by the power Ganondorf put behind his massive strike._

_Dora was amazed. She stood up and walked forward with renewed hope._

_Suddenly, Ganondorf was petrified. His body levitated, and by the distorted expression of pain on his face it was clear he was not in control. A mirror, larger than any person, on a pedestal behind the sages, lit up with a yellow glow. It was the Mirror of Twilight, said to be a relic it was so old and unused. Clearly it was active, and Dora knew exactly what was about to happen. She moved to run to him but was stopped when her arms were grabbed. When she looked to see who was stopping her, it was a team of Gerudo. Dora thrashed to break free, causing three more women to jump forward and hold her back. "You will let me go immediately! I must save our King!" A reverberating crack sound brought her attention to the mirror._

_Ganondorf was gone, banished to the forgotten Realm of Twilight._

_Dora stood there in shock, feeling everything and nothing all at once. She was overwhelmed but empty._

"_Dora, we need to go before the sages take us next," One of the Gerudo urged her. It was not what she said, but the echoing words of Ganondorf that made her move. She had a big responsibility to fulfill. She turned her back on the mirror and led her people home._

_They had brought two spare horses, but only one was returning home with a passenger. Dora forced her way to the front. Her bruised muscles ached from the hard landing she took before, but nothing hurt more than her heart. For a time she was filled with nothing but anger, for accepting defeat and failing to save Ganondorf. When she thought of him and how she would never see him again, she felt sorrow._

_It was after midday when they arrived home at the fortress. They drove their horses right up to the stables and made sure they were situated before going inside. Once they filed into the main hall outside the common room, Dora lost her composure. The commander approached her, a stern gaze in her eyes. "You disobeyed a direct order."_

_That was when she lost all control. The animal inside broke through, and Ganondorf was not there to tame her. Tears burned at the edges of her eyes. "And if you had listened to me in the first place Ganondorf might still be here!"_

_Tatiana stared at her, trying to find a reason why Dora was wrong. "What did you accomplish by going after him in the night?"_

"_We would have been fine if not for the sages," She countered. "Now he is gone, no thanks to any of you, but we will wait faithfully for his return. Until that time he has appointed me as your leader."_

"_Bah!" The commander laughed. "You? What makes you think he would leave you in charge?"_

"_He spoke the words to me before he was banished! If you had been there you would know. You understand nothing about Ganondorf!" Dora shouted and then leapt at her, putting her hands around her throat. She shoved Tatiana against the wall. It took three Gerudo to free her from Dora's grasp. She was seething with tears streaking her cheeks. She was ashamed of the tears that escaped her, but they were proof of her honesty. "I am in charge, and if any of you would challenge me do so right now!" Not one of them said anything or stepped forward. They feared her and the fire in her eyes._

_The commander spoke up, but not about her leadership. "What did you know about him, Dora? Did you know anything? You clearly care about him, which is also against the rules, so what secrets did he tell you? He obviously didn't care about __**you**__ if he told you nothing."_

_Dora slapped her. "Commander, I am stripping you of your title. Any further insubordination will result in severe punishment." She looked at Dora, aghast. _

"_You can't do that."_

_Dora ignored her. "You do not need to call me Queen but you will respect me as your leader until Ganondorf returns," She said with finality._


	7. Chapter 7

_Ganondorf had no physical form in the Twilight Realm, he was simply an essence, existing but not existing. At least, that was how he wanted to appear to Zant, the eventual usurper King. Zant already had all the desire to have the power he wanted so badly, but he did not understand how to control it, therefore an easy mind to manipulate. However, it took time before Zant was ready to wrench control from his sister and transform her into the imp that she deserved to be. The true challenge was preparing for the day he was King of the Twilight, because immediately after, at Ganondorf's command, he began corrupting Hyrule with the twilight, merging the two realms. _

_It was finally time to return and complete his revenge._

_Dora lost count of the years, but she knew she nearly surpassed the life span of any typical Gerudo. Her companions showed the marks of time but Dora remained youthful. For some time it plagued her why she was cursed, or blessed according to everyone else, but all along she knew there was only one answer: Ganondorf. There were several reasons for him to keep her alive: the first one being punishment. She had failed, even though he told her that she would. Even if he did not see that as unacceptable, she did, and expected nothing less. The second was hopefully to finish the conversation they started just before he was stolen from her._

_She sat in her room with the cot bed when it happened, and several guards came to retrieve her to see it. Together, they rushed outside and stared in awe at what approached. There was a wall of blackness rushing toward the fortress. If it was an attack, they could survive. Dora knew the only way they could was inside the fortress, so she ordered everyone in. She was the last one to round the corner for protection just as the wall stopped at their doorstep._

_Dora cautiously looked back out. A cloaked figure wearing a giant, pointed mask of metal walked through the wall. Without hesitation, she stepped into view and shouted, "Who dares to trespass into the territory of the ruthless Gerudo thieves?"_

_She could hear the smirk in the voice of the unknown one, fearlessly ascending the stairs to the entrance. "He said I would have no trouble finding you, Ganondora, leader of the Gerudo."_

_Suspiciously, she drew her weapon and approached him. "Do not make me repeat myself."_

"_He also said I should be cooperative. My name is Zant, King of the Twilight, and I am here only to deliver a message."_

"_Do it quickly," Dora said threateningly._

"_My master is Ganondorf, and his message is to prepare the Gerudo for battle. Tomorrow, come alone to the Mirror of Twilight." And with that Zant flew straight backward and disappeared into the black wall._

_Dora was too stunned to answer the questions of the Gerudo as they slowly appeared from the many entrances of the fortress and surrounded her. "Who was that? Is he telling the truth? Is Ganondorf alive? What battle? Why does he want you to go alone?"_

_There were so many questions and, at the moment, Dora did not have answers. The next day could not come soon enough. _

_The wind was eerily calm. Dora stood atop the prison at Arbiter's Grounds, waiting for what it was Ganondorf beckoned her for. The sages were not there, probably cowering from the evil power resonating from the broken Mirror of Twilight. Only a portion of the mirror remained. Had that strange man, Zant, done this? What was the purpose?_

_Her sword was in her hand the second the mirror began to glow. Then it turned dark and a strange smoke seeped through where the mirror should have been. A wall of black, exactly like the one that came at the fortress, burst forth from the mirror and straight through her. There was no pain, but she was filled with a strange sensation. The sun was blotted out, the world somewhere mysteriously between darkness and light, like a fog. The strangest part was that when the wall passed, Ganondorf appeared in front of her, just out of her reach. At first she was startled by his massive figure and raised her weapon. When she recognized him she sheathed her sword and dropped to her knees obediently. "My lord."_

_Ganondorf stared and watched her observe the detail of her surroundings in seconds at the same time she brought her sword to bear. As expected, she greeted him as the same faithful servant he left behind all those years ago, but he never noticed before how lovely her hair was when it fell like a waterfall around her head. He had been gone for too long. "Your patience is rewarded, Dora." He said, acknowledging her loyalty._

"_Thank you, my lord. I did only my duty."_

"_We both know it was much more than that."_

_Silenced followed as she stood to her full height._

"_I know you, and so I know you are full of questions. Let us answer the more relevant ones. This is twilight," He explained, holding his hands out, "from the twilight realm beyond the mirror. This realm exists, even when you cannot see it. We can see you, but you cannot see us." The shocked look that she failed to disguise was exactly what he expected. "Your leadership was all that I trained you to be."_

_She nodded her head. "I am thankful that you are pleased."_

"_The mirror of twilight was a portal the sages sent prisoners through when capital punishment was too severe, opposed to an eternity as a disfigured creature," He added the last part with a bit of sarcasm. "Zant desired power and so I helped him take it, but his will is not strong enough. He is a fool who does not realize I control him." He noticed that she struggled to keep her eyes focused on his face because they were drawn to the white mark in his chest. "I still crave more power and we know the Triforce belongs to me, deemed so by the Goddesses. The next phase requires the skill of the Gerudo to infiltrate and kill the royal family, collect the remaining pieces of the Triforce, and destroy the sages. I imagine you have not discovered the reason why you were not granted the Triforce of Courage," Ganondorf inquired. She nodded. "The sages were not mistaken. As my essence is centuries old I sensed that within you was the ability to be a hero, to be my demise. Through great effort I helped you hold onto your darkness and nurture it to drive the light from you. You were able to pull the Master Sword from its pedestal but nothing more. The Goddesses felt the evil within you and denied you that piece of Triforce. Instead, it was sent to a newborn boy in the woods, the new hero which I discovered in my time of wandering the twilight. We will defeat him."_

_Dora listened actively, nodding when she knew she should and never interrupting. She could tell by his tone that he contemplated these ideas for many hours and each of his statements made perfect sense. There was not a question left in her mind when he was through explaining. _

"_Finally, your immortality," He said._

"_Punishment and necessary, I understand," Dora said. "I figured that out a long time ago."_

"_Punishment?"_

"_I failed to keep you safe. As your servant I should have died for you," She explained._

_Ganondorf understood but he corrected her. "No. You were ready to die for me, but it was foolish and needless. A reckless sacrifice is not one of honor. I spent years training you as my lieutenant and I would not allow the fealty of age, or sickness, destroy what I worked so hard to achieve."_

_She released the breath she forgot she held and relaxed._

"_Now that I have been so generous to answer all of your questions you will answer mine. Why did you make such a claim in the Temple of Time?"_

_Dora did not understand the intention of his question, so she came up with something she thought he would want to hear. "An attempt at a pardon for your life, my lord."_

_Ganondorf shook his head slowly, disappointed. "Your lies are transparent to me."_

_She became nervous, immediately feeling sweat bead in her pores. The truth, then, was all she could manage. "I never thought I would see you again. I needed you to know the depth of the feelings I nurtured for you for many years."_

"_What leads you to believe these feelings to be true?"_

_Instead of using tact to answer this time, she let her emotions control her reaction. "Love is not something that any one, sage or otherwise, can comprehend or explain. It took me a long time to figure out exactly what I felt. I looked forward to the next duel to see you and be close to you. I was light as a feather when I heard your voice say my name. You were always on my mind. I ached to be near you so badly that there were nights I could not sleep. When I realized that I might lose you forever and I could not live without you, I knew it was love." Dora inhaled a breath. She did not resist putting her arms around his waist or laying her head on his chest. It filled her with warmth._

_The list Dora provided of the feelings she endured matched with his. Although her embrace was unexpected, he stood firm. When she laid her head against his chest he began to melt. This was unfamiliar, strange, but at the same time he wanted to resist. He needed to understand it completely. He wanted her for his own, more than she already was, more than he ever had a woman before, and almost as much as he wanted power. He put his arms around her shoulders and held her. The sensations passing between them were almost more than he could bear. There was no more uncertainty about what he needed to do. Could he speak the weaknesses that she made him feel? "In my life the only desire I have ever focused on was power, how to obtain it and then control it. I knew this endeavor would take me from the Gerudo, or even away from Hyrule, and so I trained the perfect leader. I never expected along the way that I would become obsessed with her. Obsessed with taming and understanding the fiery spirit housed within her. I knew by comparing your behavior toward me against that of your peers, after years of training, only I could control the animal inside you. Still, I needed to learn more and through our battles I learned all that I could, but it was never enough. There were many nights I wanted to call on you, but feared becoming more involved would complicate my goal and steer you from your purpose."_

_Dora stepped back when he paused and watched his eyes as he contemplated his next words. She promised to maintain her composure, no matter what came from him next. All she needed to hear was that he loved her and she would continue to love and serve him. All she needed to hear was that she needed to remain a servant, and she would continue to serve and love him._


	8. Chapter 8

"_Fear has never controlled my actions and it will not interfere any longer. A partnership between us can only be beneficial," Ganondorf proclaimed. "Ganondora, I see now that the final step to succeed as my second in command to the Gerudo is to take you as my queen."_

_Dora never felt such a burst of happiness in her entire life. It exploded inside of her and she smiled so brightly she feared she would look a fool. When she caught him smile in the evil way that he did it revived her confidence. She threw her arms around him again. To know that it was possible to mean more to him than some expendable servant was euphoric. "Thank you."_

_He wrapped her up in his arms and pulled her close, indulging in the sensuality of her curves, eyes, hair, and lips, and discovering every hidden inch of skin. After waiting what felt like eons he finally fulfilled every desire and fantasy he ever imagined with her._

_For a time, they both released the beast within._

_It was everything and more that Dora imagined. She lost all track of reality and time. Once they finished, she lay in serenity and enjoyed holding him close as if they were one. _

_Ganondorf held her, speechless as a result of their mutual outpouring of passion. She was so much more than a servant and she proved it. Dora was the strongest woman he had ever known yet she became so fragile in his hands. This control he possessed over her was incredible and she knew how to make him feel powerful._

_When he saw her frown suddenly, he knew she realized that it was time to depart. "There are trials ahead and we will prevail."_

_"I would stay like this forever with you," She said, permitting a moment of weakness to kiss him again._

_"I will have the Triforce and both our wishes will come true," Ganondorf promised, reluctantly pulling away from her to don his clothing. Dora did the same, but never noticed how he watched her every move intently. "I will meet you at the fortress in the morning so I can lead the attack. You and the Gerudo will dispose of the guards, and once the castle is consumed by twilight I will kill the king and the princess."_

_Dora smiled with a childish wonder at the determination and menace in Ganondorf's voice as he talked about his plan. She kissed him on the cheek. "Until then, my love."_

_With a curt nod, the twilight retreated into the mirror and Ganondorf disappeared. She knew he was still there, right in front of her, yet so far out of reach. Already she missed him enough that it pained her. Because she knew he could see her, she blew him one more kiss before finally wrenching from her spot to exit the prison._


	9. Chapter 9

_The sun struggled to shine its warmth on the land of Hyrule the following day. Except for the blistering hot desert, Hyrule experienced a cool day with a few drops of rain passing by. Dora mounted her horse in the shade of one isolated passing cloud and looked at her warriors mounted on their steeds. She was proud of them and proud to be their Queen. She had not breathed a word of the events of her meeting with Ganondorf, outside of what their mission required. _

_Her night was plagued by memories though. The feel of his warrior skin, his intoxicating smell, and his exquisite taste were all she could imagine that night, still alone. There was also fear. What if the King caught wind of their attack? Would they be prepared? What of this hero? If he was chosen by the Goddesses, did they stand a chance against that type of might? If the Goddesses created the Triforce, could they control who used it and for what purpose? She was no fool to ignore the fact that sometimes Ganondorf was blinded by his greed, and wondered if he already knew the answer to such questions. She also worried if her speech to the Gerudo, before they departed for Hyrule Castle, would be as inspiring as Ganondorf's. Dorawas lucky to steal a few hours of sleep but it would have to be enough._

_Just as Dora was growing impatient a black wall leading the twilight approached them and she kept their focus with a few words. "Our king will be joining us momentarily. Soon, you will be surrounded by the Twilight Realm and our King will lead us to Hyrule. I look forward to the coming battle and know the infiltration of the castle will be swift. We are all skilled warriors. Defeat is not acceptable. I would like you all to know that I have been honored to be your leader in Ganondorf's absence. I look forward to continuing my leadership as your Queen."_

_Dora ignored the surprised gasps and a few outraged shouts from the Gerudo. The wall consumed them and the group became one with the Twilight Realm. They looked around, curious and confused. She was startled to find Ganondorf suddenly standing beside her, looking with glaring eyes at the Gerudo. He could tell by their whispers that there was panic. "He hasn't aged a day." "I thought he would never return." "What is going on? What magic is this?""Queen?!" For some, Ganondorf's reappearance meant facing the repercussions of their poor judgment._

"_Tatiana!" Ganondorf yelled. The nuisance ex-commander with dark green eyes hesitantly stepped forward to the front of the ranks. The tension amongst them and in their gazes weighed as heavily as the world on her shoulders. She could not meet eyes with her king. "If you will not look death in the face then you are no warrior of mine." At his words, she raised her eyes to him, but the last thing she saw was a flash of dark magic. Using his sorcerer's power he obliterated her with a blast of incredible magic, leaving no trace of her behind. "Are there any others who would challenge the leadership of my Queen?" No one else was brave enough to step forward and challenge him. The fear in their eyes renewed his confidence. They just hoped they were not the next to die. He was no fool though: their numbers were already thin but he did not need insubordination to hinder this conquest. "You will learn from this punishment. This is a time of war. Any further acts of treason will be dealt with swiftly." He allowed silence for his message to sink in._

_Dora was slack-jawed with surprise. He never defended her so outright before. The change was strange, but now she knew that she deserved respect and could defend it, and she was responsible to defend him the same way. She handed the reins of a young, strong black Gerudo stallion to her king._

_Ganondorf took the reins and mounted his horse smoothly as if he had been doing it every day for years. A few cheers erupted from the group to express their excitement at his return or the upcoming battle. He rallied his legion. "We attack Hyrule and kill only those who stand against my reign. We take what is rightfully ours and that which we deserve. The princess is mine. Trap her in the throne room, call out this hero, and I will take the Triforce from their dead hands!" The Gerudo cheered, renewed and refreshed by their leader's enthusiasm. _

_The trek to Hyrule Castle was filled with the sound of their marching footsteps and stories of their coming victory. The Gerudo relearned their place and feared stepping beyond it, but all was right again and most of them were happy about it. Any who were not kept to themselves._

_Clouds above began to crack and roll with lightning and thunder as they approached the castle. The dreary day was turning to violent afternoon storms. Ganondorf barely took his eyes from Dora, watching the way her muscular body shifted with the horse's movements. He could not help but to notice Dora glance in his direction, but not at his face. One of the many times she chanced a look, noticed him staring, and looked ahead again, he asked, "Are you still a master of deception?"_

_Dora blushed immediately, though it may not have been noticeable under her dark skin. Her face burned as if her cheeks were on fire. He referred to all the times she played the lost, hurt, outcast Gerudo woman begging for food and a place to sleep. Mostly men approached her, empty-headed, foul men, since Gerudo were well known for their desires of the flesh. While they were busy believing they fooled her, she deceived them, stole their money and their food, without even removing any of her clothing. Whether it was with a blade or poison, she always made her kill and took off with her stolen winnings. "It has been a few years, but I am always ready for a challenge."_

"_This hero comes from the forest in the south. You will recognize him by his green clothing. I need you to deceive him to believe you are on his side, and then kill him."_

_Dora grinned deviously. "A wicked plan, my lord. I would expect nothing less." _

_Ganondorf smiled sinisterly._

_The Gerudo were shocked to find hordes of dark minions arranged in battle formations waiting for them on Hyrule's fields. Even more so, they were shocked to see their leader approach the man in robes with a metal head and converse with him. Dora scanned the new warriors. Those in front stood no taller than her waist. As she looked toward the back of the rows there were beasts that towered over her, over Ganondorf, and over houses. _

_Ganondorf was quick to address her concerns, but never missed a chance to teach her something new. "You lack experience in making battle plans. Can you tell me the purpose of these minions?" He asked, approaching her again after having given Zant his orders. There was an uncertainty in her expression that made her question their goal._

_Dora was more than willing to guess, although she did fear the consequences of being wrong. "These beasts would act as a distractionand wear down the hero. While the lesser guards are busy dealing with them, we will infiltrate the castle and deal with the elite guards."_

_Ganondorf nodded. "Precisely, my queen. You are more intelligent than I gave you credit for," He stated. Dora smiled at his hidden compliment._

_Zant raised his hand to the sky and the rambunctious dog and pig faced minions grew silent. He lowered his arm so his hand pointed toward Hyrule castle and he was lost within the screaming horde as they rushed by him like a river of black. The Gerudo watched on as Hyrule Market was over run. They were astonished at how quickly the guards fell and the villagers surrendered._

"_Lead your people, Ganondora, clear my path to victory!" Ganondorf roared._

_Dora raised her sword to the sky and the Gerudo rushed with her to the narrow path of cobblestone between the stone buildings. The minions still struggled, but mostly they passed by or jumped over dead bodies of allies and enemies. She never openly led an attack on anyone, anywhere. Usually they would infiltrate, using the shadows and stealth to take down their prey. To rush in and obliterate their enemies head on was exhilarating. They broke through the iron gates to Hyrule Castle. She was amazed to see the amount of soldiers that stood there, waiting to give their lives for a worthless king. In her mind, she mocked them before striking them down._

_It rained. The ground was littered with bodies of Gerudo, dark minions, soldiers, and knights of the Hyrulean royal guard. The grass was soaked with their blood. The refreshing rain would cleanse the world and renew the land of Hyrule. In the morning, the events from the previous night would practically be erased. While Dora mourned the sacrifices of her people she looked forward to the final battle._

_"Come, before the hero gains the advantage," Ganondorf ordered, moving past her after dismounting from his horse. Dora followed obediently beside him, giving one last look at the bodies scattered on the ground. The remaining Gerudo, around twenty of them, were close behind._

_Ganondorf led them straight through the hallways and down the path between the gardens. The anticipation was not the same as the last time he walked the halls of Hyrule castle. He had no intention of faking any stories or deceitful plots. This time he would take the throne, and the Triforce, by any means necessary. As the throne room came into view down the dark, narrow hallway, he filled with rage and anxiously clenched his hands as he imagined his revenge._

_The person sitting in the throne was not the one he expected. _

_"Princess Zelda," Ganondorf greeted suspiciously. He glanced at Dora, but her eyes were forward on the princess, and her tension was rising. He was not the only one with a debt to repay. _

_Dora never imagined the rage that would fill her when faced with the head of the family that ordered her lover's execution. The moment she laid eyes on Zelda's pretty, blonde head she nearly lost control of the animal within to slay her. _

_"Ganondorf," She said, her eyes full of confidence. Her stance was superior and unrelenting. This was not the same scared girl from all those years ago._

_"Daphnes does not even have the graciousness to welcome me in person?" He asked, although guessing at the truth._

_"I lead this kingdom now and you are not welcome here," Zelda said in a threatening voice. "You would do well to leave."_

_Ganondorf laughed cruelly at her. "Little girl, do you forget that I hold the Triforce of Power?" Before allowing her a moment toanswer he glowed with a dark and evil light. Zelda placed a hand on her head._

_"That magic, that power," She said, slowly buckling at the waist. Suddenly, she emanated a golden light and her superior posture returned. "You are too blinded by your greed to truly understand the gift of the goddesses. I will finish you!"_

_A heavy wave of dark power was flung from Ganondorf's that he waved at her. Zelda was unprepared and took the brunt of the blow to protect the remaining knights who stood behind her. She stumbled and found the arm of the throne to use as support. "No one can save you now, princess."_

_"You're wrong," She said, straightening slowly as the pain wore off. "Link will come."_

_Dora turned her head to look behind her, anticipating the hero's appearance. She awaited the opportunity to transition sides for her new role. She turned back to Zelda and found that chance._

_Ganondorf prepared another magical attack, his hands out and prepared to drain Zelda off all of her energy by zapping her with his dark powers again. Suddenly, Dora was in front of him, and he could not stop. In fact, if he had, no one would have believed she was a traitor.A collective gasp erupted from behind him. "Impossible," He whispered._

_Zelda held out her hands to prepare for Ganondorf's attack, but this Gerudo moved in front of him and took the entire attack. Her body convulsed, but before she could collapse, Zelda put her arms under her and pulled her back to the throne. She was surprised to discover the woman that just risked her life to protect her was the same who risked her life for Ganondorf. "Who are you?"_

_Dora didnot intend to take so much damage from Ganondorf. Who knew that darkness hurt darkness? It coursed through her veins and burned like fire. The pain caused her to collapse and was surprised to find a helping hand when she fell. Dora found herself resting in the throne with Zelda looking at her. "I am sorry for my deception, princess. I realized too late that I chose the wrong side all those years ago. I have been waiting to correct that mistake."_

_Although suspicious, Zelda could not dispute the fact that her life was just saved. "Thank you."_

_"Enough!" Ganondorf yelled. "I will not be made a fool any longer!" He attacked again, but Zelda was quicker this time. She used her magic to cause him pain and divert his attack to one of the other less willing Gerudo._

_Enraged, Ganondorf rushed at Zelda, who brandished a beautiful, slim rapier, and they danced a dangerous battle of light and dark. Dora could already tell that Zelda could not win due to Ganondorf's incredible strength. All she could do was occupyhim until the hero arrived. The knights rushed forward, outnumbering the Gerudo, and taking them on so they could not interfere with the battle._

_Dora regained her strength slowly and stood from the throne. She drew her weapon, ready to join the fray, until a man in green, with a silly hat, caught her attention. He rushed toward the throne room, wielding none other than the Master Sword, and began to battle with the Gerudo. Around fifty dark minions chased him, adding to the confusion already. She rushed forward to fight these minions and protect the hero. With Zelda convinced that she was turncoat, all she needed to do was win the hero's trust in battle and she could strike._

_The minions viciously swung at Link, but the Gerudo attacked and overwhelmed him. She leapt into action and fought back the demon minions that were nothing more than a nuisance. She and Link locked eyes before she stepped to put her back to his. In that moment, she sealed their bond and Link trusted her with his life. She saw no more than a hint of doubt, but considering she worked with him, instead of against him, he was willing to try a temporary partnership._

_The minions were easily dispatched and Link worked his way through the Gerudo to save Zelda. Dora was pleased to see them fight valiantly, but frightened at the skill this hero possessed. More than anything, she imagined, the blade did the work for him. She kept her back to him, perfectly keeping up with him to fend off the remaining seventeen Gerudo. They attacked her viciously under the pretense she was truly a traitor, and she did her best to defend and refrain from fatally wounding them. At no point did she imagine she would need to slay her kin to continue her charade. _

"_Hero, look out!" Dora shouted. His blue eyes went wide and he lunged forward, a giant mace barely missing his head. At the same time, she leapt over him and tackled the Gerudo to the ground. "You get to Ganondorf, I will take care of them!" Link acknowledged her sacrifice with a nod and rushed to Zelda's aid. He swung his sword, knocking away an orb of dark energy just before making contact with Zelda. The orb was redirected at the wall by Ganondorf and exploded on impact. He ran forward to take Link head on and avoided being crushed by the debris. _

_Link knocked back his opponent by swinging the Master Sword. The blade met with a barrier of magic that wavered at the power to repel evil. Ganondorf unsheathed a long weapon from his back. The hilt was as white as pure magic, but upon grasping it shifted through all shades of grey before turning black. It emanated a purple aura as wild as flames. He met blades with Link and this time the hero gave ground._

_As Dora blocked, dodged, and defended against the barrage of Gerudo, she kept one eye on the battle of good and evil. It was her duty to intervene if Ganondorf began to fall. However, she also waited for another opening to prove her false loyalty to Link and Zelda. It was that loyalty though that fueled the extra strength behind the attacks of her companions. If not for her excellent skill and training, she would have fallen to their rage. She did her best to avoid wounding them but several were knocked unconscious by a powerful kick to the head. She was proud of their tenacity because as one backed down from exhaustion another appeared in her place. Finally, a worthy opponent stepped up to her, which Dora retreated from. She directed her steps toward the battle in the back of the room. _

_It was a bright shining ray of light magic that threw the Gerudo across the room, into the others that stood weary from battle. At the same time, Dora was knocked off balance and out of stance as Link stumbled into her, suffering the agonizing burn from a bolt of dark magic he was unable to reflect with the Master Sword. The more it looked like he would lose, the more determined he became. _

"_Ah, the hero and the traitor," Ganondorf mocked, breathing heavily. The calm in the battle gave Dora the chance to analyze the extent of the damage Link caused Ganondorf. He suffered multiple wounds that were more painful than they appeared. Based on amount of wounds inflicted alone, they were evenly matched._

"_You and I together Link, that is the only way to vanquish him for good," Dora rallied. "Are you ready, Zelda?" She nodded curtly. _


	10. Chapter 10

"_I will enjoy displaying your heads as my trophy," Ganondorf yelled, swinging his sword back to strike Link with a mighty blow. The hero was prepared, but not only for the attack that faced him. A faithful Gerudo lunged forward to stop Ganondora. While Link deflected Ganondorf's sword with his shield, he brought his sword straight up past Dora, pushed her out of the way with his elbow, and slashed the valiant Gerudo over her shoulder. It was too late when he realized why Ganondora never defended herself._

_Before Ganondorf even brought his sword to bear she noticed the Gerudo scramble to her feet. Dora ignored her, gambling on Link to protect her and the events played out perfectly as she predicted. As Link shoved her out of harm's way she spun behind him and thrust her sword through his back up to its hilt. The curved blade that exited his torso glistened with his thick blood. The clanging of the Master Sword hitting the stone floor as it fell from Link's weakened grasp rang victory in her ears. _

_Zelda's shriek was so shrill that Dora cringed. The Gerudo stared with confusion as Link shuddered violently, bleeding and dying. "How dare you?" Zelda hissed, narrowing her startling blue eyes. "I should have never trusted you!" She raised her arms to attack Ganondora, but was frozen in a dark purple sphere. Ganondorf's arm was straight out with his fingers slightly bent to form a circle._

"_That mistake is about to cost you," Ganondorf laughed with a grin. "An excellent act, Ganondora."_

"_An act?" One Gerudo interjected. They turned their gazes to each other and then lowered their heads, realizing their mistake._

_Ganondora was quick to revitalize their spirits when she said, "Your belief in my deception was necessary for success. While we lost a few comrades, we have won the war."_

_Ganondorf closed his hand slightly and the sphere shrank with it. Zelda screamed at the pressure squeezing her bones, muscles, and organs. "I will crush you, in time, but first you will watch your hero die." He nodded at Dora. At his command, she twisted her sword, and Link's cry of pain echoed deafeningly in the room. He coughed and finally fell to his knees in the blood that already coated the stone floor. She wrenched the sword from his body and he lurched forward. He tried to support his weight on his hands but collapsed, face down. In slow motion, dust made of gold streamed from his body to a center point in front of Dora. The gold molded into a perfect solid triangle, signifying the hero's last breath. She held her arm straight and the Triforce of Courage rested in the palm of her hand. Immediately, she turned to face Ganondorf and bowed on one knee before him, her hand still outstretched._

"_I am pleased to present you, my one and only master,the Triforce of Courage," Dora said, raising her head to look at him with a satisfied smile. _

_Ganondorf reached down to her with his free hand and let it hover with his palm facing the Triforce. He filled with great anticipation and the smile that spread on his lips was most sadistic and foul. His breathing even quickened slightly just before the Triforce of Couragewas sucked into the palm of his hand. He could feel the rush of power invade his body and a strange numbness took him by surprise, but he shook it off quickly. He then took Dora's hand and helped her to her feet._

_Dora was filled with eagerness also and watched excitedly as Ganondorf absorbed the Triforce of Courage. More than that though, was the closeness of his hand to hers, almost an affectionate distance that made her want to caress it. The way his hand hovered was is if he waited for her to take it. Surprisingly, he grasped her hand with an unexpected tenderness. In his touch was not that of a leader, but of a friend. He allowed her to use his strength as a guide to her feet and she did so with grace._

"_You will not have the Triforce of Wisdom." Zelda grunted and groaned with pain as the sphere shrank again. The Gerudo watched in awe at the strength she possessed to continue to fight._

"_I will," Ganondorf corrected. "You cannot stop me from extracting my revenge. You will die, either from shock or the pressure that crushes your organs." He closed his hand into a tight fist and watched anxiously._

_Zelda's face contorted with pain and she screamed so hauntingly the Gerudo looked away. Ganondora watched and refused to turn away. It was her duty to watch her king's victory. Zelda's body crumbled like paper before her hair-raising screams finally stopped. They would never know what truly freed her from the pain. The purple sphere disappeared and Zelda's body flopped to the floor, disfigured and deformed. Directly above her body floated the final piece of the Triforce. It levitated closer to Ganondorf, calling out the other two pieces to become one again._

_Ganondorf raised his hand straight in front of him. The Triforce of Courage and the Triforce of Power emerged from the palm of his hand and joined their counterpart. The Triforce enlarged until it stood as tall as he did. Trembling, he walked forward and touched it. "I wish for ultimate power. Power enough to destroy a enough to kill a God. Power enough to rule the world."_

_Moments passed where nothing happened. Dora could hear her pulse in the blood pumping through her brain. She panicked. Was there something wrong? Finally, the Triforce glowed so brightly it blinded her, and the combined voices of the goddesses reluctantly said, "Your wish is granted." The Triforce shrank again and slammed into Ganondorf with such force he stumbled to maintain his balance. The same numbness overcame him, forcing him to his knees until he regained his strength. When he stood to his feet, he could feel he was changed, but how much?_

_Dora was thrilled. At her feet,lie the dead enemies of Ganondorf, the Triforce was complete, and he finally achieved all that he ever dreamed. Although the process briefly took his strength away, he was more than rejuvenated when he returned to his he recuperated she grew faint. She took a few steps toward the group of Gerudo and as she moved farther away from Ganondorf her head cleared. His power was so overwhelming it effected Dora even by just standing near him._

"_Finally," Ganondorf cried victoriously. He raised his fist in in front of him to display the Triforce to his followers. His brief celebration was immediately interrupted as five white blurs sped past Ganondora and straight toward the Gerudo King. As if he predicted their arrival, he cast a powerful shield of dark magic that survived to deflect all five sages while unsheathing his magical weapon. The shield disappeared and Ganondorf attacked viciously._

_Dora was powerless compared to him. She was jealous. To control such power would be fantastic, like a dream. On the other hand, she was worried. With so much power, he did not need her. Would he want to keep her at his side? She hoped the ailments his power caused her would wear off, or she would suffer each time she was close with him. His fight with the sages displayed his incredible new power and Dora never doubted his victory. His villainous laugh proved he also doubted failure, but that did not stop him from pushing his power to its fullest extent. _

_Two of the sages were dead and their bodies faded into oblivion. Three remained but Ganondorf was ready to make them tremble in fear. _

"_You do not deserve your power!" One of the sages growled._

"_The goddesses granted this power to me through the Triforce. I have more than earned it. No more of this game. I will obliterate you!" A roar that was animalistic, even for him, erupted from his mouth and hewas engulfed in a blinding light as golden as the Triforce. His body expanded, and Dora rushed the Gerudo out of the building just before it crumbled around them. She could not guess at what he was transforming into it, what power the goddesses bestowed on him, but a horrible feeling of dread created a pit in her stomach._

_Most of the castle collapsed as Ganondorf grew ten times his size. It was more than that though. He was no longer a man, but a giant green beast with a snout, long tail, enormous tusks, and hooves. The Gerudo, and the few cowardice minions of Zant that remained, watched in horror and were incapable of averting their eyes. The sages did indeed tremble at the power Ganondorf possessed and the beast it turned him in to._

_The rest of the fight was a slaughter. The sages tried desperately to gain the upper hand, to defeat the beast that was the embodiment of pure evil, but failed. Ganondorf was easily the victor. His thick skin was invincible. He crushed one sage under his hoof, ripped another to shreds with his sharp teeth,and obliterated the last with a stream of dark magic expelled from his mouth. Not only were the sages destroyed but also most of the castle. All the Gerudo could do was witness their king be consumed by his power._

_That was exactly what happened. The sages were dead, but he did not revert to a human form. Ganondora ordered the Gerudo back to the village, but she feared that was his next target. When she did not move to run with them, they questioned her. "Are you coming with us?"_

"_No. I must stay to help," Dora shouted, watching what remained of the castle crumble at Ganondorf's might. Was interfering with his wishes the wisest act? Or would that be considered treason?_

"_I won't leave. She might try to kill him," Said another Gerudo._

_It was clear that since she deceived them some did not trust her. "I understand your reluctance, but I am not foolish enough to believe I can beat him in this form. Do you not see this beast consumes him? This beast of greed?I can bring him back," She gazed at her, some with understanding, and others still with distrust. Rock from the castle tumbled down the hill as Ganondorf walked toward them. "Run!" They did as they were ordered and Dora rushed out of the way before she was crushed._

_Ganondorf stopped and turned to look at the destruction he caused. He looked from left to right and during his brief pause realized the castle was demolished. Dora watched his confused reaction, as if he was just coming to his senses. He reared back and roared. On his chest was still that white scar where the sage pierced him. He darted toward the path that led to the village, but was stopped by a woman in red with red hair._

_Dora rushed as fast as her strong legs could carry her to block his path. She stood firm, with her arms outstretched. Ganondorf slowed to a stop, just before making impact with her. With no iris, his pure white eyes were difficult to read. He roared again. At such a close distance, his breath was hot, but she refused to turn away. "Ganondorf, think about what you are doing."_

"_Move out of my way!" He yelled, but his voice was an inhuman angry growl._

_It was good to know that on some level he must have recognized her since he did not immediately slay her. "Do you plan to destroy all of Hyrule and the people in it? What is the point in that?"_

_Ganondorf snarled, bearing his sharp teeth threateningly at her. "This world means nothing!" He rushed by her, but she was forced to move to the side or be crushed by his massive hooves. _

_Then it was true. This power, this pure evil, consumed him beyond logical thought. She remembered proudly listening to Ganondorf talkambitiously about how he would rule the people of the world one day and how the Gerudo deserved the beauty that was Hyrule. This beast that possessed Ganondorf cared little about seeing him, or his people, rise to power, just the destruction of Hyrule. Instead of prosperity, he would only bring more ruin to his people. Was it honorable, as his most loyal servant, to remind him of his true purpose, or to respect this new one?Dora hastily chased after him._

_When she arrived, the destruction of Hyrule's marketplace was well underway. Ganondorf tossed people high into the air like puppets. When they crashed on the ground, their bones shattered, and they died instantly. Women and children ran screaming through the alleyways, even as the rain poured down in buckets again. He scuffed his front right leg on the ground and then charged the nearest building, but his momentum did not stop there. With his strength, he was able to destroy three buildings at a time, four if they were of a weaker structure. He roared triumphantly before swatting more people away with his tusks. _

_Ganondora shoved people out of the way and ordered them to safety as she rushed to catch up to Ganondorf. Whether they recognized her or not, they obeyed, fearing for their lives. She covered her head and darted farther down the street to avoid the wall that collapsed right behind her. She quickly climbed up the uneven side of the building that was five houses away from she reached the top, she rushed to the end to face him. She watched him crush people underfoot or grind their goods stands into the ground with his tusks._

"_Ganondorf!" She yelled from the rooftop. It was enough to gain his attention. He stood to his full height, as tall as she was on the building, and glared at her. It was clear that very little of the man remained inside. "Think about what you are doing. Who will you rule if you kill all of these people? What will you rule if you destroy everything? Remember your dream of bringing prosperity to the Gerudo. Remember us!" No matter how she pleaded, that recognition she once saw slipped away. He roared again and she was hit with a powerful beam of magic. She shrieked as it passed through her, bringing indescribable pain. When it was over, she fell to her knees at the edge of the roof, and collapsed with her arms hanging over the roared out a laugh and turned from his victim. He was forced to turn back though as he heard her shuffle to her knees again. She glared at him, determined. "I will not fight you but I will stand against you. I am your most loyal servant and it is my duty to protect you, even if it is from yourself! You must stop this before you destroy everything you worked so hard to achieve."_

_He ignored her plea. "You are relentless!" With those words he charged into the building she stood on, demolishing it in a blind rage. As he did though, something strange happened. Ganondorf seemed like he was no longer in control, his beast body twisted this way and that, as if he fought himself. One second he stomped on the buildings he crushed until nothing but sand remained, and the next he howled, rearing his body back as if he were injured. He turned about in circles as if chasing his tail until finally he collapsed._

_The Gerudo had only run far enough to stay out of the path of danger but close enough to watch Ganondora's act of bravery. They watched as shewas buried beneath the rubble of the building when Ganondorf destroyed it. When he appeared to go insane, they quickly rushed to unbury her, hoping she still lived. _

_The Hyruleans were distracted from them by dense, fast moving smoke, with the center where the beast fell. He was shrinking, concealed by a pulsing golden light. When the smoke dissipated, the beast was gone, and a man remained. The rain poured so violently that it was deafening. He stood as quickly as he could manage, and then walked toward his people, disguising his limp. He ignored the angry eyes that persecuted him and the curious ones that watched with caution. Despite his worry, he felt triumphant to finally control the beast within. Power came with a price, he was aware, but he hoped that price was nothigher than he planned. "Move!" He ordered the Gerudo who watched him in moved back a respective calmly as possible, he approached the pile of rock and dirt that buried Dora. He could sense her flicker of life and used his magic to remove all the rubble that restrained her. There she lay, mangled, one arm twisted awkwardly and bent in half, one leg covered in blood and crushed flat by a large rock, and blood spilled from several gashes made by wood used in the building's construction. He bent down and lifted her into his arms. A purple aura wrapped her body, and in secondsshe was restored. Another minute and he might have lost her."This village and the castle will be rebuilt, grander than ever before. Greatness can only be achieved through chaos and destruction." With those words, he disappeared._

_It was an hour later when Ganondora finally awoke. A sharp pain in the back of her head blurred her vision when she tried to sit up. When she could see plainly, she knew the room she woke in, but never once before saw from recalled the events, before she was knocked out, easily and clearly. One minute she stood on the edge of a building, the next she was buried under tons of rubble. How did she end up in the master bedroom of Gerudo Fortress?_

"_You finally awaken," Came a welcoming voice. Dora turned toward the door on her right and smiled immediately._

"_You did it," She stated, hopeful._

"_With a little persuasion, even a beast came be tamed," He remarked. "Speaking of, that beast, who I have affectionately named Ganon, will no longer be a nuisance. He serves me now."_

"_That is a relief," She said, standing tenderly on her repaired leg. "_

_Ganondorf looked her over, pleased with her recovery. It was possible she was stronger than before, in body and mind. "It is a relief that you survived."_

"_I am pleased to hear you say that, my lord. I admit, I was conflicted on how to act before. I thought it would be treason to stop you, but the man I know is wise and would not bring ruin to the land he rules without good reason," She explained._

_He walked toward her quickly and took her hand with the same tenderness that he offered to her in the throne room. "The woman I took as my queen is wise and brave enough to intervene where others would not have."_

_Dora smiled warmly, caressing the knuckles of his hand with her fingertips. "What will happen to Zant?" She asked._

"_He and his creatures have returned to the realm of twilight, but they are welcome in Hyrule, as long as my rule is obeyed."_

_She placed her hand gingerly on his chest where the scar of purity once was. "The Triforce has healed you?"_

"_You are full of observations and questions," He noted. "Yes. I used my new power to heal you and rid myself of that hideous mark."_

_At that, her smile faded, and she lowered her eyes. "You have your power, then. I have fulfilled my purpose."_

_Ganondorf chuckled at her naivety. He took her chin in his fingers and turned her head so she faced him. "You have fulfilled one purpose. There is much yet for us to accomplish. You have many now. A wife and a queen has many responsibilities." A soft smile returned as his stern words encouraged her. "Most importantly, just as I tamed your beast, you have tamed mine. Without you, that beast will tear me apart and I will cease to exist."_

_Her smile brightened, and if possible, it made her even more desirable. "Then, until you deem otherwise, I will remain faithfully at your side."_


End file.
